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What IS prayer?

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Good question.  I have more... Is it always religious per se?  Is it always about asking or begging God to do something for us? Does it always have to end with an 'amen'? Do we need to have the right words or phrases for God to hear and answer us the way we hope? Does God do anything after we pray? Does God hear us? And on and on we could go, right?  Lord have mercy on our questions! I enjoyed an article on the topic of prayer recently from the folks at Renew.org, and the article concluded with this: "According to Scripture, prayer is an important but not-so-structured part of our relationship with God. We do not have to end with amen. We do not have to close our eyes. It does not have to be a spiritual leader to pray for us. We do not have to use fancy language. Anyone can pray at any time, in any place, for anything. God will listen. The most important thing is to remember why we are praying and to make sure our minds and hearts are prepared before we approach God with ...
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The attributes...

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I found one of my first textbooks today that was part of my freshman year of Bible college back in 1991.  I remember the class vividly as old Dr. Beckman, with his crooked fingers, schooled us all in the Scriptural attributes of God. I highlighted and took notes as fast as I could and couldn't get enough!  That text and Dr. Beckman gave me a greater understanding of who God really is, and it deepened my love for learning and growing in my faith. Those first few lessons taught many key attributes of Almighty God, which included: God is ONE (in threefold personality) God is SPIRIT God is OMNIscient God is OMNIpotent God is OMNIpresent God is JUST God is HOLY God is GOOD God is ETERNAL God is UNCHANGEABLE God is CREATOR But, my favorite is this attribute: God is LOVE (1 John 4:8) Praise be to God!
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Now that's a good prayer!

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  I read this today (and prayed it too!) on commonprayer.net: "Holy One, so often we claim to see but prefer our blindness. Send us teachers and saints whose lives speak loudly of faith and perseverance to guide us when we unknowingly stray from wisdom’s course. Help us to find the Way, the Truth, and the Life in this world of shortcuts, deception, and death. Amen." Photo by Michel Stockman on Unsplash  
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World Cup finally ended...

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Sunday was the big finale of the 2026 World Cup hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico (in 16 cities). This wrapped up 39 days and 104 matches with some 48 different countries battling it out on the fields. And the sport you asked? Well, we call it soccer, but, for most of the world, it is futbol! If you didn't watch it, Spain and Argentina were in the championship, and Spain won the match. Guess what the estimated number of people who viewed it? A staggering 6 billion. That's with a "b" folks! Sunday I found myself pondering this sport and the global fascination with it, and, if you watched the opening ceremony, one might think this was religion. In fact, one of our tour guides in Barcelona, while on our trip to Spain this past March, said that while Roman Catholicism is Spain's official faith, futbol was the real religion. Ugh. As we who follow Jesus know, there is so much more to life than a 90-minute match! Jesus spoke of bringing an abundant life to any wh...
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Sheep hear His voice...

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I was reflecting today on the idea of Jesus as my shepherd as described in John 10.  Specifically, I'm thinking about listening and hearing His voice - a voice I recognize because of the time I've spent with Him.  He calls Himself the 'good shepherd' who acts as a guide, a protector, and a defender.   2 The one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The doorkeeper [ d ] opens the door [ e ] for him, [ f ] and the sheep hear his voice. He [ g ] calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [ h ] 4 When he has brought all his own sheep [ i ] out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize [ j ] his voice. 5 They will never follow a stranger, [ k ] but will run away from him, because they do not recognize [ l ] the stranger’s voice.” -John 10 NET I wonder sometimes if I allow too much noise and distraction to really hear from Jesus.  Do I recognize His voice?  Am I following where He and His voice are lead...
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Radical obedience...

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I've been thinking a lot about a concept I read recently called "radical obedience." This is the idea that if and when Jesus commands us to do something or go somewhere, we simply do it - no questions asked. To be honest, this challenges me greatly. Blind obedience with no questions asked. In theory, absolutely! In practice, well, I have questions. Yet, at the end of Jesus' famous 'sermon on the mount', He said it this way in Matthew 7: 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a gre...
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Welcome to...YOUR town...

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Yesterday I was at a concert, and the headliner artist started his set with:  "Hello and welcome...to YOUR town!"  Now, I'm not sure if he didn't remember the name of the town he was in or if he just got a bit off script, but I've been thinking about that phrase "your town."  Hmm. I've never really thought of the town I live in as mine, really.  Yet, I'm starting to think that might be a good way to think of it because it gives me a sense of ownership and investment.  If it were truly my town, I'd be interested in working to keep it healthy and happy and thriving, right?  I guess I'm now thinking about how I can operate for the good of the city and the people who call it home like I do.  How can I help in the economics of the town, or maybe better support the leaders who make decisions for the citizens?  How can I help with the quality of life and those who are underserved? How can I be proactive about the safety and well-being of those w...
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